Mastering Strong College Study Skills

It's important to develop strong study habits and time management skills in college. With these tips for organization and proficient time management, you may be able to become a more successful student with your refined college study skills.

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One advantage some students have over other college students is possessing good college study skills. You may wonder how some students excel on tests and understand the homework while you may struggle with what to study and how to take tests. Knowing some good study skills may help you to become the high caliber student you have always wanted to be.

Create a schedule. Just as you designate time to go to class, work or go to sleep, make sure you have time set aside exclusively for homework. Whether it is a couple of hours a day or several throughout the week, allocating time for homework can provide the opportunity to complete more assignments and review the study material.

Make friends with people in your classes. Becoming friendly with your classmates may help you to create study groups. Study groups can be incredibly effective (assuming everyone is there to study, not socialize) because you will have the opportunity to review material with other students. Also, if you are not clear on certain concepts or ideas, asking one of your classmates may help you to better understand what is being covered in your class.

Take advantage of small windows of free time. For example, if you have to wait thirty minutes between classes or if you take mass transportation to work or school, then you can effectively use that time to study. Even if it is a ten minute break, you can at least review your notes or go over your homework assignment. It is very important to make every minute count when it comes to maximizing your study time.

Rewrite your class notes or write an outline from your textbook chapter. Reiterating what you have just learned will help you to retrain the material for the class. Also, by rewriting and reviewing your notes and texts on a regular basis, you will be getting a leg up on studying for exams and finals.

These are just a few suggestions that may help you to refine your study skills.